We Will Fall
by Neko Neko Rachie
Summary: Danny Fenton just wanted a normal summer vacation. But he's getting none of that- especially when Skulker's out for his head, there's a Ghost Portal beneath the Mystery Shack, and his cousin Wendy's boss' brother has a celebrity crush on Danny Phantom. His luck has always been total shit, huh? [Post PP, Post Weirdmegeddon]
1. Hello, Fallsie!

**Eeeeeey**

 **So I finished Danny Phantom...**

…

 ***cries***

 **But real talk it's so great omg.**

 **So this fanfic is post-weirdmageddon and I know that there's just under a month until we see what will really happen, but whatever happens will not change the course of the story. Also, for the sake of plot no one outside the group that was at the Pole during Phantom Planet know Danny's secret.**

 **A'ight?**

 **A'ight.**

…

 **Chapter One** **  
Aloha, Fallsie!**

Sometimes Danny Fenton wished that he and his family could just have a normal family vacation.  
But no, of course not. Instead, they were fighting a lumberjack ghost while driving down the dirt road to visit his aunt and her family in Gravity Falls- the sight of infamous Weirdmageddon not a year before.  
Ah, to be a part of this family.  
"Dude," Danny shouted, going intangible as the ghost's weapon sliced through him, "you just /had/ to have an axe, didn't you!?"  
Danny, by the way, was half - ghost, so he could do that sort of thing.  
"Don't worry, Danny!" Called his mother from the Family Assault Vehicle, "We got you!"  
There was the sound like pulling a suction cup off of a window, and Danny dodged the Fenton Thermos, which sucked up the Lumberjack.  
He sighed in relief, phasing through the roof of the Assault Vehicle.  
Unghostifying, as his father called it, he caught his breath.  
"What is it with the Northwest and lumberjacks?" He asked, "That's the third one to attack us."  
"You're a bit of a target, Danny." Jazz said, " I don't want to scare you, but people want to kill you."  
"Thanks for the reminder." Danny grumbled.  
"Don't worry, sweetie." Their mom said, "We're on vacation! Let's try to relax."

"Exactly!" Jack boomed, "That's why I brought the Specter Detector! It'll find ghosts whenever they show up!"

"... Dad." Danny put his hand on his father's shoulder, "I don't mean to burst your bubble, but that's what my ghost sense is for."

Jack's eyebrows curled together, "Well, then whenever you're not around, we'll be safe!"

Danny shook his head, "Alright, then."

"So…" Jazz said a few minutes later, breaking the silence, "We haven't seen Wendy or Uncle Dan in so long. Do you think they're alright after all that happened?"

"I'm sure my brother is perfectly fine." Maddie said with a smile, "Dan's always been able to push through, and I'm sure Wendy and the boys are, too."

"We're just lucky that only who was at the South Pole know Danny's secret." Jazz said, "Otherwise, I think the people of Gravity Falls would tear you apart, Danny."

At Danny's expression, she laughed nervously and shut up.

"Let's just hope that nothing goes wrong this summer." Danny said, "Because we've had enough trouble for more than a lifetime."

…

"Hello, again, Gravity Falls!" Mabel Pines dropped her bags in front of the Mystery Shack, grinning up at the research-facility-house-turned-tourist-trap that had been her home last summer. It was still standing after Weirdmageddon, and so was the town. Gravity Falls had picked itself up nicely, mostly with Grunkle Ford's help, and Mabel was happy that everything had turned out okay.

Her twin brother dropped his bags next to her as well. In the past year, Dipper had grown taller than Mabel by about an inch. His hair was long enough to pull back into a ponytail (He thought it looked cool, but it was so lame. Then again, so was Dipper), and he still had that hat.

Mabel hadn't given up on making sparkly things, especially after what had happened last summer. As long as something sparkled, there was light.

Or something deep and metaphorical like that.

Dipper grinned at her, "It's just great to be back here." He said, "I missed the weirdness of Gravity Falls."

Mabel elbowed him lightly, "C'mon, Bro-Bro. Let's get inside."

Shoving themselves through the door to the shack, Grunkle Stan came down the stairs, grinning like an idiot.

"Kids!" He shouted, running up and pulling them into a bear-hug, "I missed you guys!"

"We missed you, too!" Mabel squawked as her lungs were crushed from the force of the hug.

"I thought I heard you two." Came Grunkle Ford's voice from the Vending Machine. The Author stepped out from behind the machine and awkwardly stood there, before being practically glomped by Mabel and Dipper.

"We missed you, too, Great Uncle Ford!" Dipper said happily as the twins removed themselves from the hug.

Ford was grinning ear to ear, which was nice to see.

"Hey, kids." Stan said, "I wanna show ya somethin'."

Dipper's eyebrows shot up, "Is it illegal?"

"Probably."

"Awesome!"

Making their way behind the Vending Machine and down the elevator, Stan and Ford lead the way to the lab. The portal loomed over them- large and irritatingly triangular.

"Originally," Ford almost narrated, "the portal was designed to go to Bill's world and back. But through modifications, Stanley, McGucket and I have fixed it up a bit."

He was grinning ear to ear.

"How?" Dipper asked, "What'd you do?"

"Watch 'n learn, Dipper." Stan said, "Watch 'n learn."

"With increasing amounts of spectral activity in the world," Ford said, "the idea of an afterlife parallel to ours intrigued me. I asked Stanley and McGucket to help me, and they did."

"Wait." Dipper said, "You mean that you made-"

"You bet your bucket we did!" Ford grinned even wider, "A Ghost Portal- capable of, when opened, sending humans or specters both to and from what's known as the Ghost Zone."

Mabel's eyes were wide and shining, "Grunkle Ford and Grunkle Stan, this is so cool!"

"You only say that because you have a crush on Danny Phantom." Dipper teased, to which Mabel snorted.

"He's an attractive ghost kid, Dipper. What more can a girl want?"

"I just think it's dangerous, is all." Dipper criticized, crossing his arms, "After Vlad Masters turned out to be a ghost, and ghost threats are daily occurrences, I don't think it's safe to give them another way into our world."

Ford sighed, "And you have the right to your opinion, Dipper, but this thing is up and running, so you can't really do anything about it."

Dipper grumbled to himself. He would if he died trying.


	2. Skulkracked

**Chapter Two  
** **Skulkracked**

"Gravity Falls is pretty strange." Wendy was saying, "But I bet you guys have seen crazier things, huh? I mean, your parents work with Danny Phantom. It's so cool!"

"Yeah," Danny gloated, "I guess it is."

Jazz resisted the urge to elbow her brother in the gut.

"But here's the Mystery Shack. I have an eternal summer job here, because Mr. Pines totally loves me." She grinned, "It's super cool."

"Hey, Wendy!"

"Huh?" Wendy turned around, seeing two kids- probably 13 or 14- dashing towards them, "Mabel! Dipper! Hey!" The two kids threw themselves onto her, hugging her tightly, "I missed you guys! Welcome back!"

"Thanks, Wendy." The girl said as the two pulled themselves off of Wendy, "Who are your friends?"

"These are my cousins, Danny and Jazz. Danny, Jazz, this is Dipper and Mabel."

"Nice to meet you!" Jazz chirped, shaking their hands.

"Same..." Danny grumbled awkwardly, shaking their hands.

"Hi..." The girl, Mabel, said, eyes wide.

"... Hi." Danny replied.

"You're pretty..."

"... Okay..."

"Anyways!" Jazz broke the awkwardness, "You guys are Wendy's friends?"

"Yup!" Mabel said, "Dipper had a super gross crush on her last summer."

Dipper rolled his eyes, "We don't talk about that."

Wendy laughed awkwardly, "Yeah. Definitely not."

"Who wants ice cream?" Jazz asked, "On me."

"Heck yeah!" Dipper and Mabel said, before breaking into giggles.

Danny had to admit, they were pretty adorable, "Sure, Ja-" He gasped, his breath billowing out in front of him, "Um... Actually, I have to do something..." He looked Jazz in the eyes, who nodded.

"Alright. Do what you gotta do, little bro."

He promptly disappeared into the trees. Once away from sight of anyone, he rolled his shoulders.

"I'm goin' ghost!"

Black to white, white to black, blue to green. Danny Phantom went intangible, dropping down through the ground.

Glad he could see through the ground, he saw Mabel, Dipper, Wendy and Jazz above him, and, just to piss Jazz off, shot up through the ground, right in front of her.

Jazz shrieked, and Danny grinned at her over his shoulder, "Sorry, Miss!"

He could almost hear her grinding her teeth, and it was hilarious.

"There you are, Ghost Boy!"

"Here we go..."

Danny turned to see Skulker grinning at him, hair aflame.

"What do you want, dude?" He demanded, "I'm on vacation. The least you can do is not try to kill me this summer."

"Yeah," Skulker deadpanned, "How about 'no'? I've got plans for you, Ghost Boy. Now that you've saved both of our worlds, you've got a nice price on your head."

"What?" Danny sniggered, "Trying to catch me so your so-called 'girlfriend' will take you back, again?"

"Shut up! I'm trying to capture you for my own personal reasons!"

"And because you don't like me?"

"That, too!"

Skulker came at him, throwing a punch. Danny dodged easily, swiveling around the other ghost and planting the sole of his foot in between his ribs and pelvis.

Skulker howled in response, throwing himself around and grabbing Danny by the front of his outfit, pulling him close so they were nose to nose. It would have been intimate, maybe, were they not trying to kill each other.

"You listen to me, Ghost Boy. If you thought keeping ghosts out of Amity Park was hard, just wait until we come through the portal here."

"There's a portal here?" Danny spluttered stupidly.

"Yeah, and when others come through, just know that they've got a reason to capture you _alive_."

Danny resisted the urge to throw up, and Skulker threw him towards the ground. He barely had time to go intangible before the ground came towards his face.

…

 **Aaaaaand another one!**

 **I'll probably write another one tomorrow or the next day, so keep your eyes out!**


	3. Anomalies

**I'd just like to shou** **t out to** **beazlerat for reviewing both chapters! Thank you so much for your kind words**

 **Chapter Three** **  
Anomalies**

"That was stupid."

"I know."

"You could have died!"

"Already half way there."

"Danny!" Jazz grabbed her brother's arm, "This isn't a joke! Why is Skulker after you again?"

"I think the better question is why there's a ghost portal under the Mystery Shack." Danny responded, ignoring Jazz's question. Partly just to irritate her, but mostly because he didn't know either.

However, Jazz considered the question, "If Wendy has a job there, she must know something about it, right?"

"Not necessarily. Vlad was under everyone's nose the whole time."

Jazz huffed, "You, Danny Fenton, are impossible."

"I'm aware." They'd been in Gravity Falls for a few days, but Danny had only just told Jazz that the ghost had been Skulker. He'd been trying to figure out what the flaming ghost was up to, along with that Portal.

"Look," Jazz huffed, "all I'm saying is that Wendy might be able to-"

"I might be able to what?" Came their cousin's voice. She was leaning in the doorway to the guest room Danny and Jazz currently shared, grinning at them, "I hope it's illegal, because I'm all about that kind of stuff."

"Would you be above breaking and entering into the Mystery Shack?"

Wendy snorted, "Why would you need to break in? Stan's got nothing against me."

"Because there's something dangerous in there." Danny snapped.

"I know. They've got a portal in the basement Ford built like 30 years ago. Stan fixed it up last summer, but they took it apart after Weirdmageddon."

Danny and Jazz looked at each other. Which one of them had false information?

"I think they fixed I up though." Wendy continued, "Why, you think it's dangerous?"

"We know it is." Jazz said, "We have a source telling us that that portal is a Ghost Portal."

Wendy snickered, "Yeah, and who is that source?"

"..."

"Well," Wendy flopped down on the bed, "I could always ask Dipper and Mabel to show me the lab, and you guys could just show up, and say that you have nothing else to do."

Danny and Jazz grinned.

"I like the way you think."

…

"Dipper! Go over the security tapes and remove anything incriminating for me, will ya?"

"Grunkle Stan, isn't that- oh, I don't know- a little bit illegal?"

Stan laughed, "It ain't illegal if there's no proof, kiddo."

Dipper sighed, not bothering to complain. He could hear Ford starting to argue with Stan about it, but Dipper wasn't in the mood to be pulled into it.

Mabel had been so excited at seeing Danny Phantom a few days ago, she talked about it non-stop. Dipper knew of her strange celebrity crush on a dead ghost kid, but he had never thought that she'd actually get to see him.

She'd babbled to him about her plan to win his "no longer beating heart" and Dipper had learned long ago never to try and stop Mabel from talking- just pretend you're not listening and fall asleep.

Dipper slipped into Stan's office, and pushed in a security tape. It was from the night before- the camera around back.

Dipper fast-forwarded it through the night, pausing when a figure came into view.

It was... Danny? Wendy's cousin?

What the hell had he been doing here at 2 in the morning?

He watched Danny kick a stone in frustration.

"Damn portal!" He complained, "Ugh, why does my life have to be so frustrating!" Dipper watched him look around in anger, then gasped as he paused the tape.

…. Danny's eyes...

"GREAT UNCLE FORD!" Dipper shouted, "COME HERE FOR A MINUTE!"

Ford came quickly, "What did Stanle-"

"It's not about Stan." Dipper cut him off, "It's about Wendy's cousin. We met him a few days ago. Just watch this."

Dipper played the 30 seconds of film again, and watched Ford's face. He looked intrigued and asked Dipper to continue playing the tape.

"You're getting yourself worked up." Tape-Danny said, "You just gotta calm down."

He stood there for a minute, before grumbling, "Ugh, this isn't helping. I guess I'll just go sleep."

They watched as Danny faded from view, no sound from his footsteps or anything else for the rest of the tape, which cut off about 2 minutes later.

Ford hummed, and thought for a moment before saying, "It's very possible that Wendy's cousin is either a ghost, or, more likely, possessed."

Dipper shuddered at the memory of being possessed, "But by whom... Or what?"

"That's a very good question, there, Dipper." Ford turned to look at him, "You told me last summer that you encountered ghosts in Gravity Falls, correct?"

"Um, yeah." Dipper started to explain, "There were those ones in the convenience store, and the ghost at the Northwest Manor..."

"Hmm... You followed my notes in Journal 3, right?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Did you ever read the section on possession? By creatures of this dimension, more or less?"

"Imma be honest, Great Uncle Ford, I haven't read your Journals in a really long time. I mean- yeah, I probably read it at some point, but I only read Journal 3 back to front and-"

"It's alright, Dipper. Then I'll explain. Unlike creatures like Bill, ghosts are spirits of the deceased and can inhabit a living host without the need to rip the host's soul from their body. Ghosts don't need a host to appear on the physical plane, but it helps. The Ghost Zone, as I told you about earlier, is a world parallel to ours, and therefor, ghosts are creatures of our dimension. Got it?"

"Umm..." Dipper frowned, "Yeah, mostly."

"If Wendy's cousin is in fact possessed, then as I'm sure you know, we'd need to preform an exorcism."

"And if we're wrong?"

"Then it will have no effect on him. But exorcisms on a possession victim are painful, so... If we're right, he'll be in a lot of pain."

Dipper didn't waver, "If it's what we have to do, then so be it."

…

 **Hello yes this is 1-800-MISLEADING-INFORMATION Dipper Pines speaking**

 **OKAY SO THAT TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED AND IT'S SUPER SHORT**

 **BUT I'M SORRY I HAD EXAMS**

 **But now I have a week off! So hopefully I can get more done. Oh! And if you follow me as a writer, A Different Worldview should be updated within the week.**

 **I love you guys! Peace.**


	4. A Nice, Painful Exorcism

**WOWOWOWOWOW WHAT A FINALE**

 **I CRIED**

 **But yes a chappie chap**

 **I know I said that whatever happens in the finale wouldn't affect the story but like**

 **MCGUCKET/FORD REUNION**

 **AND THE STANS MADE UP**

 **IMPORTANT THINGS AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND I AM INCLUDING IT**

 **:) Read on :):):):)**

 **Chapter Four** **  
A Nice, Painful Exorcism**

"Okay, BroBro, that's a bit weird,"

Dipper stared at his twin like she'd grown a second head.

Although, granted, in Gravity Falls, that was very possible.

"Mabel," Dipper rubbed the bridge of his nose, "We managed to survive a demonic triangle trying to murder us, and Wendy's cousin being possessed is 'a bit weird'?"

Mabel hummed in thought for a moment, "Well, think about it," She said after her thinking was concluded, "The only evidence you have is a security tape, right? So, if you want to be sure, you should do some spying," She grinned at the thought of spying on Danny, but Dipper shook his head.

"Whatever spirit is in his head is angry about something," Mabel stopped grinning, "Whatever it is, it might want to hurt someone,"

Mabel played with her hair nervously, "Well, then I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, right?" She leaped off her bed and sat beside him, "But, not without me!"

Dipper grinned, "I can always count on you,"

…

"So you wanted to show me something?" Danny asked, thumbs hooked on his pockets.

"Yeah," Dipper nodded, "just follow me,"

Danny did as he was told, following the younger one into the woods.

It was beautiful- the dark, damp forest floor contrasted with the bright, sunny canopy, the sounds of life throughout the forest, the crunching of leaves beneath their feet. Danny smiled softly as they walked, simply existing in this moment for as long as he could- this peaceful, incredible, perfect moment of _living_ was something he had needed for a long time.

And then they broke into a clearing.

Danny frowned, he had liked it in the darkness, but Dipper was walking to the middle of the clearing, so Danny followed.

"So... You wanted to show me an empt- AH!"

Dipper had shoved him into the center of a circle.

"Is this glitter glue?" Danny demanded, to which Dipper frowned.

"She was supposed to spray paint it..." He grumbled, before looking up at him, "Listen to me- there is significant evidence that you are possessed by an angry spirit."

"Excuse me?"

"An exorcism must be preformed."

" _Excuse me_!?"

"If you aren't possessed, it won't hurt at all. If you are...

Danny crossed his arms, shooting his eyebrows up.

And Dipper completed the circle.

Pain shot through Danny's limbs as the spell attempted to pull him in half. He shrieked, stumbling around. He tried to leave the circle, but he slammed against a wall of energy. Desperately, he shot ecto-blasts at it.

"Dipper you don't- AARGH- you don't understand!"

"I understand that you must leave Danny Fenton's body, spirit," Through the tears of pain, Danny could see Dipper looking grim.

"AAARGH- No, Dipper- I'm not- AAARGH-" Danny watched his form shift, and saw his gloved hands in front of him, "PLEASE!"

Dipper now looked horrified, "I can't do anythi-"

"DIPPER GET ME OUT OF HERE!" The last word erupted into a shriek- a wail- a _ghostly_ wail.

The force of the screech shot out throughout the clearing, flattening grass and throwing Dipper backwards. The circle broke, and Danny closed his mouth, dropping to his knees.

He was shaking, but with no need to catch his breath, he ran over to Dipper, who was unconscious.

"Oh, god..." Danny picked him up gingerly, "I'm sorry, kid..."

He prayed that when Dipper woke up, he wouldn't remember seeing him transform into Danny Phantom.

Pushing off from the ground, Danny Phantom took off towards the Mystery Shack, dropping into the living room.

Stanley Pines stood at the sight of Dipper.

"What happened, Ghost Boy?" He demanded.

Danny looked at the ground, unable to tell the truth. It would put his identity in danger... But...

"I was in a fight with a ghost, now safely locked away, and Dipper tried to get close... He's alright, just hit his head, but I'm no medical expert. I just know he's alive." He set him on the couch, and turned to Stanley, "Tell him to stay safe, next time, for me, alright?"

Stanley nodded, "Thanks... For bringing him here..."

Danny nodded, "Anytime."

He took off through the roof, but was still shaking. His body was threatening to throw up the contents of his stomach.

"Just get back to Uncle Dan's, Fenton..." He muttered to himself, "You just had to help the kid, didn't you?"

He stumbled on his landing, untransforming, and stumbled into the house. His parents waved to him, and he threw himself up the stairs, vomiting into the toilet.

"Ah, nasty!"

The vomit was not the contents of his stomach, but rather ectoplasm.

"Danny!" Maddie stepped into the room, "Are you oka- never mind. What happened?"

"Dipper tried to exorcise me." He said plainly, "And it did something." He shook his head, "I feel awful, and I was barely able to land properly."

Maddie kneeled down and put her hand on her son's shoulder, "Whatever it is, it's probably temporary. But, your unique genetic makeup makes it hard to predict what that exorcism did to you. You'll be okay."

"God, I hope so."

Maddie ruffled his already-messy hair, "Go lie down, try not to splatter ectoplasm everywhere. I'll clean this up."

…

 **A SHORT ONE**

 **WHY DID THIS TAKE YOU SO LONG RACHEL?**

 **YOU ASK**

 **WELL BECAUSE I'M FUCKING DEPRESSED AND I HATE IT**

 **But yeah honestly I'm in such a funk, I'll try to write, but don't expect anything for a week or two**

 **I hate bipolar disorder it can just leave**


	5. A New Development

**Look who's back in action!**

 **I'm feeling a lot better, and I just finished Dragon Age II, so I decided to write a chapter! I thank all of you who enjoy this story as much as I do writing it. Without further ado-**

 **Chapter 5** **  
A New Development**

Danny was glad for video chat.

Sprawled across the guest bed, his phone in his hand, Danny could see his friends miles away.

"So, you aren't worried about this kid?" Sam asked, her end of the call turning towards the wall as she got changed.

"I guess I'm a bit worried…" Danny replied, "I mean, ever since he tried to exorcise me, I get nosebleeds- but it's not blood. Not human blood, anyways."

"What?" Sam turned the camera back to her face, making her way out of the house, "Ectoplasm just shoots out of your nose?"

Danny nodded grimly, "It's not pretty… Sometimes it comes out of my mouth… I just have to run to the bathroom and pray no one sees me…"

"Your parents haven't asked you about it?"

Danny frowned, "They have, but we haven't been able to figure out what it is."

"You can still Go Ghost, right?"

Danny laughed, "Yeah, of course! I'm glad, too…"

"Danny…" Sam sighed, "Just stay safe, alright? Gravity Falls has a dark history, from what I can tell."

"I noticed."

"There's Tuck." The camera jiggled awkwardly as Sam waved to their mutual best friend, Tucker stepping into the shot.

"Hey, Danny!" He grinned, waving, "Are you having fun?"

"Well, no one's tried to kill me in, like, a week."

"That's a record!" The group laughed.

"Danny!" Wendy stepped into the room, "Dipper, Mabel, Soos and I were gonna go to Greasy's- you wanna come?"

"Is Jazz coming?" Danny was worried that Dipper remembered… If he did, it would be good to have someone on his side that knew his secret.

Wendy grinned, "I managed to pry her away from her books, for now, lil dude."

Danny looked towards the camera, "Unless you guys wanna keep talking?"

"Go on." Tucker said, and the two grinned at him.

"Alright." Danny grinned back, "Bye."

"Bye!"

"Love you, Danny."

"I love you, too, Sam."

"What about me?"

"You, too, Tucker."

And the call ended.

Throwing his legs off the bed, Danny shoved his phone into his pocket.

"So who were you talkin' to?" Wendy grinned at him on the way down the stairs.

"Sam and Tucker." Danny responded bluntly.

"Is Sam your gi-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-irlfriend?

"Yeah, yeah she is."

Wendy squealed, grabbing his arm, "You didn't tell me that!"

"Yeah, guess I didn't." Danny shrugged.

…

Dipper was flipping through a textbook, desperate to find out something about what Danny really was.

He hadn't told Mabel- he usually told his twin everything, but this seemed too important to tell her, for once-, or Grunkle Stan, and had simply told Ford that he'd successfully exorcised Danny, and hadn't saw Phantom approach.

But it didn't make sense... What _was_ he, exactly?

It was clear Wendy had known him since they were children, so he hadn't been born in the Ghost Zone… But he was also clearly still _alive_ …

He closed the book, breathing once more.

"You still alive, there, Dipping Sauce?" Mabel asked, grinning her no-longer-braces-filled smile.

"Yeah, I am…"

"I get it." Mabel nodded curtly, "I would be obsessed if Danny Phantom carried me home, too…" Her eyes became dreamy, "And he would lean over my body, and place a single kiss on my forehead… And when I awoke, he would still be there… A passionate kis-"

"Alright, Mabes, save it for your fanfiction."

Mabel crossed her arms, "That's not even what happens in my fanfiction."

"Sup, guys?" Wendy slid in the booth across from them, simply nodding to Lazy Susan to bring her a coffee.

"Dipper's fanboying." Mabel laughed.

And then- _he_ slid in beside Wendy.

Danny tapped his hands nervously on the table, until Jazz planted her own right over them, glaring at him.

 _Sweet Lord…_

"I'm sorry about what happened." Dipper blurted.

Danny shrugged, "It's fine. That spirit's out of me now, right?"

"Yep. Totally. One hundred percent. Absolutely certainly."

Danny cocked an eyebrow, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No!" Dipper waved his hands in front of himself frantically, "Of course not! Everything's fi-"

"Hold that thought." Danny shoved his way past his sister, "What?" He demanded of her, "I gotta go."

Jazz huffed, "Be back."

"I will."

Dipper watched Danny head towards the bathroom, and did something incredibly stupid:

He got up and _followed_ him.

.

Danny stepped into a stall, and immediately went invisible. Transforming easily, he took off into the air.

Flying over Gravity Falls, Danny could still see remnants of Weirdmageddon- the city still being rebuilt in some areas, a strange triangular rock, and more- and it made him sad. A small town, attacked by creatures from another world, wanting only chaos.

Sounds familiar, huh?

A thwack sounded on the side of his head, and Danny Phantom went flying. Momentarily unconscious, the sound of screaming filled the air.

And then he was face down in the concrete, ectoplasm running down his fa-

But that was impossible.

A ghost couldn't be hurt in the human world, right? Just because he was a halfa didn't mean anything, right?

… Dipper.

That damned exorcism must have done something. Was that why he was bleeding all over the place?

A hand grabbed his hair, and Phantom shrieked in pain.

"Who are you!?" A hand bent his arm behind his back. He would go intangible as soon as he had information.

"Hello, Little Badger."

Danny's blood went cold- literally. In his anger, fear, bitterness- emotions, so many emotions- ice blasted from his hands, and around him, Plasmius shrieking as he tried to break free.

Danny whirled around to face Vlad, who was grinning his toothy grin.

"Nice to see you, again, Daniel."

"How was space?" Danny spat, "As cold and empty as your heart?"

"Well, now!" Vlad laughed, "Someone's been learning from his elders!"

"Why would I want to learn anything from you." Danny snarled, "You risked the world for your own gain!"

Vlad sneered, "And I lost because of you! Because of Jack and Maddie Fenton, and because of their _love_ for you!"

Vlad spat it like an insult.

Danny knew Vlad only wanted love.

Danny knew Vlad was lonely.

Danny knew Vlad was bitter.

Danny knew Vlad was angry.

But it didn't stop him from grabbing him by the leg, and throwing him straight into the concrete below.

…

 **NOTE: I am not vilanizing Vladie-boo. He will have character development.**


	6. The Bitterest of Reunions

**Chapter Six**

 **The Bitterest of Reunions**

...

Vlad came back at Danny with surprising speed, grabbing the younger halfa around the ankles and tossing him into the branches of a tree. Danny slammed face – first into a lower branch, before rolling off and onto the ground.

Several bones were shattered, Danny could tell, mostly in his chest area, and a few foot bones.

"Mother _fucker_!" Danny shouted as he hit the ground- he wasn't standing up for a while, now.

But, flying? He'd be fine!

... Probably...

Vlad floated just above the ground, red eyes gleeful at the sight of Danny on the ground in severe pain.

"You know, Daniel, I think I might kill you right he-"

"Like hell you will!"

 _Oh no_.

Dipper stepped out from behind a rock. The kid was shaking a good deal, but was brave

Stupidly, stupidly brave.

"What the hell are you doing, kid?" Danny shouted, causing the broken ribs to move around.

"I'm helping!" He looked confident in himself, and tossed a flower to Vlad.

At first, Danny wanted to smack him- but then he recognized the flower.

"A flower?" Vlad demanded, "Child, you must be incredibly stupid to think that-" Vlad sniffed the flower.

And started shrieking.

He held onto his face, shrieking as more of the bloodblossom got all over his face.

Danny had almost pushed himself to his elbows when a punch landed directly on the tip of his nose, sending him recoiling- more bones shifted- blood and ectoplasm splattering.

"You think I'm going down without a fight?" Vlad snarled, burns from the flower all over his ghostly – green skin.

"You'd better, Masters," Came Maddie Fenton's voice, "or I'll blast you back to the emptiness you came from."

Danny saw the ectoweapon aimed at the back of Vlad's head, and his mother's murderous expression, and thought of a possible future... One that no one but he and Clockwork remembered... _I lost my ability to feel a long time ago... You cannot escape your future, Danny Fenton..._

"Maddie, stop."

His mother stared at him.

Danny painfully pushed himself to his feet, "You don't- ah-! -have to kill him."

"Are you nuts!?" Dipper shouted, "He'll kill a lot of people if she doesn't!"

Danny shook his head, "You're naive, kid." Danny held out a hand to Vlad, "You told me once you just want love, and however looped your methods of gaining such were, everyone deserves a second chance."

Vlad looked like he was going to cry.

"You can't be serious..." Maddie said, "Need I remind you that he tried to make himself a hero by selling out 7 billion people?"

Danny huffed, "Just don't kill him. Please."

Slowly, Maddie lowered the gun.

"Thank you, Daniel..." Vlad looked like a lost child- unsure where to go or what to say.

And he flew off.

Danny took the chance to collapse, whimpering in pain.

Maddie dropped next to him, "What's broken?"

"Few ribs... Something in my foot..." Danny grumbled, and looked to Dipper, "What the hell were you thinking!? He could've killed you! He wouldn't, but for all you know..."

Dipper shuffled awkwardly.

"But you may have saved my life." Dipper looked up, eyes shining, "Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Dipper practically shouted? "I mean- uh- no prob- um- no problem-"

Danny laughed softly, "I'll fly you back to the Mystery Shack, if you want."

"Danny!" His mother scolded, "You're hurt!"

"I'll can fly." Danny hovered, flipping his body upright, "I'll be fine."

Danny held Dipper bridal – style, putting most of the kid's weight on his arms instead of broken ribs, and took off.

"So..." Dipper said as they flew, "I know you're Danny Fenton."

Danny almost lost his grip on the bastard, "What gives you that idea?"

"I saw you transform before I went unconscious." Dipper said, as if it was a normal thing 13 year old kids talk about, "But my question is- what are you?"

"Oh, would you look at that!" Danny sputtered, "The Mystery Shack!"

Danny set Dipper down on the lawn, hovering as to not set his broken foot down.

The door to the shack slammed open, Mabel throwing herself out the door, "Dipper!" She threw her arms around her twin, "Oh my god!" She sobbed into his shoulder, "I didn't know if you were okay!" She hugged Phantom around the waist, "Thank you! You brought Dipper home safely twice in a week!"

Danny winced, "Ribs-" He hissed, causing Mabel to leap back, "But you're welcome."

Mabel grinned, "You're awesome."

...

"You could have let him die." Dan Phantom hissed.

"But I didn't." Danny snarled back, "Now go away."

"I'll never leave you, young one." Dan's green eyes sparkled with a glee that was terrifying, "We are one."

"I'm nothing like you!" Danny attempted to throw himself forward, but found himself shackled to the ground, "I WILL NEVER BE LIKE YOU!"

Dan clicked his snake – like tongue, "That's where you're wrong." He started pulling on the chains at his feet, Danny being dragged with them, until the two of them were face-to-face, "I'm _am_ you."

"Stop-"

"We are one, you and I."

"Go away-"

"You have as much capacity to kill as I do."

"I said, lea-"

"YOU WILL BECOME ME SOON ENOUGH!"

Shrieks that may or may not have been his own filled Danny's ears, and he sat up in bed, huffing and puffing.

Despite his still-broken ribs, he hugged his chest and cried, desperately hoping Jazz wouldn't hear.

 **...**

 **Wow that was an adventure.**

 **I wrote this on my phone, so any formatting errors you can blame on that**.


	7. The Statue in the Woods

**Chapter Seven**

 **A Statue in the Woods**

Wendy leaned on the kitchen counter, running her fingers through her thick, veryl knotted hair.

Damn nightmares. She would never get that shit out of her head- seeing her friends and family turned to stone... Bill... What Stan did...

She huffed, and heard shuffling in the living room.

Snagging a crossbow off the wall just in case, she leaped into the living room, and found her weapon aimed directly at Danny's face.

"Sup?" Danny offered, but he was shaking nonetheless.

Wendy lowered the crossbow, "You scared me!" Running her fingers through her hair once more, she looked at her cousin from the corner of her eye, "What are you doing up, anyways? It's 3 in the morning, and you shouldn't be moving around with your ribs, and all."

Danny sighed, "I had a nightmare, okay?"

"Oh... Same."

Danny looked up, "Really?"

"Yeah." Wendy smiled bitterly, "There are some things that never leave you, _ever_."

Danny laughed bitterly, "I know."

Wendy smiled, "We haven't talked in forever... I wish we had."

"Yeah..." Danny shifted his weight, wincing in pain, "Goddammit-!"

Wendy's smile fell, "Go back to bed, Fenton."

"I'm fi-" Danny breathed out, and Wendy could've sworn she saw his breath, "On second thought, I will go to bed, night!"

Danny frantically stumbled up the stairs, leaving Wendy frowning after him; he was going to hurt himself running like that.

Wendy followed him, and leaned against the doorway.

"Jazz." Danny was shaking her awake.

"Mmm?"

"We've got a ghostly issue. If I'm not back when mom and dad get up, tell them to come up with an excuse."

"Alright. Be safe, little bro."

Danny laughed, and Wendy watched him pace across the floor, twowhite rings appearing. One floated upwards, the other down. His hair turned white, his eyes green and his pajamas to a black and white spandex suit.

"Oh my god..." Wendy breathed as her cousin- a fucking _t_ \- took off through the ceiling.

Her stupid, brave, injuried _ghost_ cousin _took off through the ceiling_.

"Holy shit." Was the only thing she could squeak out before scrambling down the hall and out the front door.

Danny was soaring overhead when he spotted her, "Hey, there!" He called, "You really shouldn't be out in the middle of the night."

And that fucker took off into the night, acting as if he didn't know her.

Oh, he was _so dead_ in the morning.

...

"So, let me get this straight." Dipper said, flipping through his notes, "You're half-dead, and you use that power to protect the world, even when your parents are trying to murder you?"

Danny shoved a branch out of the way, "Yeah, pretty much."

"That's so awesome!" Dipper scribbled once more, "So, do you possess your own corpse, or-"

"Whoa," Danny made a T with his hands, "time-out. _Possessing my own corpse_!? Dipper, I'm not dead... At least, I don't think I am..."

"Well, ghosts are spirits of the dead that still have a purpose to exist, right? Well-"

"Whoa..."

They had broken into a clearing, in the center of which was a statue. It had no moss or undergrowth on it, almost as if the clearing was so because nothing had wanted to get near it. The statue itself was a pyramid-shape, with an eye in the center, and a bow tie and top hat.

Dipper was pulling on Danny's arm, but that statue was... Entrancing... He moved towards it slowly, hand outstretched... _Pain!_ His brain shrieked, _Pain!_... _Power..._ His ghost-half whispered _... Power... No!_ His human-half shouted, _No!_

"Danny!" Dipper had grabbed his arm, whirling him around to face him, "We need to get away from that!" He sounded hysterical, almost sobbing.

Danny let Dipper lead him away, but the voice still whispered, _We'll meet again some sunny day!_


	8. Strangeness

**Chapter Eight**

 **Strange**

"So..." Dipper said as he scribbled down notes in his journal- complete with a pine tree marked with a clear '1'-, "Ghosts are creatures who don't need to engage in cellular respiration-"

"-Because we gain energy from the Ghost Zone, and possibly from negative emotions of our own, and humans," Danny finished, shoving a few potato chips in his mouth.

"But halfas are different," Dipper said, "You obviously need to eat." He frowned, "Do you need to breathe?"

Danny also frowned, "Not necessarily. I need oxygen, but not as much as regular humans,"

Dipper scribbled that down.

"Is the pine tree a pun?" Danny asked, stuffing yet more potato chips in his mouth.

Dipper grimaced, "Yes, and no,"

Danny quirked an eyebrow, "Am I supposed to understand that?"

"It's probably best that you don't,"

"Okay..." Danny didn't push the kid's boundaries, "So... Wendy's been weird the past few days,"

Dipper frowned, "How so?"

"Well, she keeps making weird ghost puns," -Dipper laughed at that- "But they're like specifically aimed at me. Like my parents wouldn't be weird, but..." He kicked his leg against the side of the bed, "If she knows my secret, she's in danger,"

Dipper looked alarmed, "Does that mean that I'm in danger?"

Danny scoffed, "What, you thought research was dangerous? But, yeah, you are. Skulker might try to use you as bait- if you let him know that you know. It depends. Keep yourself away from Phantom, and you shouldn't be,"

Dipper fiddled with the hem of his shirt, "So, I can't help you out in the field?"

Danny laughed, " 'The field'!? Oh my god, that's incredible. But- erm- I'm already iffy about Sam and Tucker helping me, and you're, like, 13,"

Dipper grumbled, "Yeah, but I'm also way smarter than you,"

Danny sighed, "Not in battle, kid,"

The door opened, and Wendy stepped in, "Ay, boys," she said, grinning at them, "Whatcha doin'?" she sat down next to Dipper, looking at the journal, "Ford would be impressed if you showed him this."

"Danny knows a lot about ghosts," Dipper said, excitement bubbling up, "HisparentsareghosthuntersandI'msoexcitedbecauseheknowsalotanditssocoolansjust-'"

Wendy ruffled his hair, "You're a nerd, Dipper," she pushed herself off of the bed, "Mabel and Pacifica were looking for you. Said something about bringing 'Wendy's cute cousin'," She shrugged, "I assume you, Danny boi,"

Danny grinned, "O shit waddup."

Wendy grabbed a pillow and whacked him with it, "Shut the fuck up." She turned to Dipper, "You two go meet the girls. They're at the Shack."

...

"I'm just sayin'," Pacifica said, "I would go there."

Mabel sniggered, "Same."

They stood with their arms around each other for a moment, "Are we going to tell him?" Pacifica asked.

"No," Mabel responded, "Especially not around Wendy's cousin."

Pacifica sighed, "I meant at all," she smiled, "Your brother's cute, but he's oblivious."

Mabel hesitated, "Eventually," she decided, "Bu-but... Dipper finally found a friend as nerdy as him that isn't Grunkle Ford. And with Danny Phantom showing up, and that ghost attack, and what he whispers in his sleep..."

Pacifica went rigid, "What does he...?"

"He talks about explosions and Weirdness- with a capital W- and ghosts and a statue-"

Pacifica put her hand on the side of Mabel's face, "I get it. Just relax,"

Mabel nodded, "Okay,"

"Mabel!" Dipper's voice rang throughout the Shack, "You home?"

"In our room BroBro!"

Pacifica untangled herself from Mabel, and shuffled over.

Dipper and Danny stepped into the room, Danny waving awkwardly.

Dipper flopped down in his bed, "What's up?" he asked.

"What are you up to?" Pacifica asked? "You've been in Gravity Falls for 2 weeks, and I haven't even gotten a 'hello'."

Dipper turned the colour of strawberries, "I'm so sorry, Pacifica!" he flopped his head into his hands and dug his fingers into his hair, "I'm such a shitty friend!"

"I'm wouldn't say that," Pacifica started.

"But that is so low." Danny cut in, "Like, really, dude."

"I got distracted!" Dipper tried to reason, "I was doing research and- and-"

"It's alright, Dipping Sauce," Pacifica smiled at him, "You're still pretty alright."

Dipper smiled into his hands, "Thanks,"

"Welcome,"

...

 **O shit waddup**


End file.
